Lil Music Reviews

by Alan Fearns ·
Published January 26, 2016
· Updated September 8, 2016

Lil Ugly Mane – “Oblivion Access”

Genre: slug rap

This album that Lil Ugly Mane (LUM) released free last month is supposed to his final release ever. The end of the LUM series and his boxsets are on their way as well for those who have previously purchased from ORMOLYCKA know that some orders have taken a great deal of time to arrive. LUM has promised that they have been shipped, and requested people not bombard him with complaints.

The album kicks off with “EJACULATED POISON WRENCH.” Honestly, its just a bunch of noise so if you don’t like noise, skip it. If you do like noise, embrace it, and if you’ve never listened to noise, give it a chance and think about how it made you feel. (Listen to track 12, “COMPLIANCE”, if you enjoyed).

In “COLUMNS” LUM addresses talks vegetables, humanity, and columns such as the one I am writing.

The next track, “GRAVE WITHIN A GRAVE” references the title in the following lines.

In a ‘GRAVE WITHIN A GRAVE’ was the first time I prayed. No one here to tell me that I shouldn’t be afraid. Falling endlessly deeper, yet immobile and still, in this infinite ether, watching over my filth.

“OPPOSITE LANES” is really hard. It has that twinkly Run the Jewels thing going on for glimmer, and a bruising bass drum shifting about. The hi-hat placement is pretty simple, and snare rolls at the end of every few measures.

At times it feels as though LUM is addressing a personal struggle; be it drug addiction or physical handicap.

“I could read a hundred books, still not know what pill I took. I could have a million guns, still walk with ‘ACHILLES FOOT.'”

“COLLAPSE AND APPEAR” has robotic, Ventrillo voice reading his cryptic lyrics for the latter half of the song.

The tracks coming after this are transitional drones with some pleasing sonic artifacts.

The rest of the album is contains feeling like a deadweight and wondering what “it” all means (“INTENT PURGE AND DISCHARGE”).

The highest point on the album I found to be “SLUGS.” It basically embodies everything I like about LUM. From introspective wordplay to dirty beats decaying. Plus brass and piano rolls for my weak spot.

Self Love Test – Self Love Test Singles

Genre: “gorilla punk”/spoken word/electronic

Jay Parry has been making music for a long time under several different monikers (T.A.R.A.M.I.S. and others). His newest musical incarnation is Self Love Test which aims to motivate listeners and encourage them to “Dance More,” and treat people with respect, which includes yourself. “The Change” is inspirational for anyone in need of some motivation. Moments here recall 70s no-wavers, Swans, with the hypnotic vocal, but Parry’s guitar work sounds more influenced by MeWithoutYou.

Stay tuned for this boundary pushing musician at the BABY IS HELL COLD OUTSIDE FEST on Jan. 30 at the Fairbanks Hub.

Humantanot – “Hydrogen” (8020722013)

Genre: environmental plunderphonics

A new single by an Alaskan friend who goes under the name Humantanot. He is very mysterious, and wears a mask. I first heard of him through “CAPTCHA CANDY”which was a more guitar driven album. The new single, “Hydrogen” (8020722013)”,is a bit different. While still on an electronic premises, the music here is composed in a more heavily sampled way. It’s very serene like his previous work, but more interesting for sure.

UPDATE: “Hydrogen…” is the first of a weekly project by Humantanot to drop a new single every week, totaling in 10 by the end for a complete album titled “GLOSS DOT NET”.

Lil Peep – “LIVE FOREVER”

Genre: schemarap

“LIVE FOREVER”is the third of three releases Lil Peep dropped on the eleventh of last December. His vocals are mostly clouded by melancholic guitar chops here. Long-time TeamSesh producer, Greaf, actually produces none of the beats here, instead we have willie g (Minneapolis), mysticphonk (Wisconsin), kryptik (Glasgow), hector vae, fleance, paulie and Brobak [THRAXXHOUSE]. Lots of fresh names to me, I was looking forward to hearing from Rozz Dyliams (used to be Dylan Ross), but enough about that.

Lil Peep sounds like what Spooky Black was doing in his “FOREST” mixtape, before Spooky Black turned to cloud r&b. In varying aesthetics, Lil Peep has a stronger vibe of bleakness, cold, and slums, which may resonate with listeners of Bones. This is partly due to Greaf’s involvement with TeamSesh, but also a trait that Lil Peep reps through the album as his own. The sound is less mature, but that is to be expected from such a new artist.

This single does LiL PEEP justice with its chops that are scarce to be found on “LIVE FOREVER”. PEEP’s flow switches into half time before taking on a sustained melody referencing the song’s title.

The last track on “LIVE FOREVER”is produced by the one who produced LiL PEEP’s “nothing to u” (video made viral by astari). “give u the moon” is doesn’t differ much from the other tracks on the album, LiL PEEP is just as buried in the mix and only a few swear words lift out as well as a snippet of sampled monologue.